Play-in Hypothetical

[Stump]

Just for forum fun, imagine the following scenario: In the play-in games, the Spurs win their first game against the Grizzlies while the Lakers lose to the Warriors. The Spurs must then face the Lakers in an elimination game for the 8th spot in the west. A loss gives us a better draft pick (11/12th vs 15th), but a win screws over LeBron and the Lakers.

Would you prefer to win or lose?

[Chinook]

Um... Make the playoffs. This draft-pick talk is such loser shit.

[R. DeMurre]

If the Lakers lose, it increases the chance of Kawhi & the Clippers winning it all.

I just think in this draft the #11, 12, 13, & 14 picks are too important. The one area where the Spurs are still superior is in analyzing draft talent. I'd rather give our scouting team & FO their best shot at picking the best possible player.

[Stump]

Um... Make the playoffs. This draft-pick talk is such loser shit.
Lol, I've been anti-tanking the whole time, but I feel like that's a minority opinion on this forum. The Lakers being in a vulnerable spot really gets my competitive juices going, and I wonder how the pro-tanking crew think about it.

[R. DeMurre]

Lol, I've been anti-tanking the whole time

Tanking is different from hoping for a better draft position. I certainly don't think there'd ever be a scenario where Pop tries to lose an elimination game, or where I'd advocate for it. But, big picture, I think the better pick is more important for this extremely average team desperately in need of more talent.

[MultiTroll]

Bam Adebayo pick #14 in 2017 draft.
Markelle Fultz #1.

Win the play in game. Unless it's rare sure things like top picks Shaq and Tim Dunker, the draft especially from #10-14 is a bit of a crap shoot.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Beat the Lakers of course.

There isn't that much of a difference between 11 and 15 in this draft.

[R. DeMurre]

Being 11 or 12 also gives the Spurs a remote chance of moving up in the lottery. Pick 15 stays where it is, not matter what.

[Mr. Body]

Bam Adebayo pick #14 in 2017 draft.
Markelle Fultz #1.

Win the play in game. Unless it's rare sure things like top picks Shaq and Tim Dunker, the draft especially from #10-14 is a bit of a crap shoot.

A lot of the top players will likely bust out, like Kuminga.

[Arcadian]

Win. We're not even guaranteed a better draft pick by losing.

[timvp]

Um... Make the playoffs.

[RC_Drunkford]

Spurs gonna get blown out by Memphis, but a Lakers upset would obviously be great

[BackHome]

I am on the Tank train but unless it’s a top 5 pick I am all about Beating that Flakers Ass

[TD 21]

Um... Make the playoffs. This draft-pick talk is such loser shit.

Classic case of not seeing the forest from the trees. Loser shit is being content with your team actively decreasing their odds of attempting to find the kind of high end talent that they're going to need to build the next good or better iteration.

But hey, anytime you've got a chance (not really, but hypothetically) to get thoroughly embarrassed, you've got to take it!



If the Lakers lose, it increases the chance of Kawhi & the Clippers winning it all.

I just think in this draft the #11, 12, 13, & 14 picks are too important. The one area where the Spurs are still superior is in analyzing draft talent. I'd rather give our scouting team & FO their best shot at picking the best possible player.

These myopic, Stockholm Syndrome, stuck in the past people don't get it.

[Chinook]

Classic case of not seeing the forest from the trees. Loser shit is being content with your team actively decreasing their odds of attempting to find the kind of high end talent that they're going to need to build the next good or better iteration.

But hey, anytime you've got a chance (not really, but hypothetically) to get thoroughly embarrassed, you've got to take it!

We both know that none of this is true. If you have a chance to make the playoffs -- especially a chance to beat LAL (and this thread supposes that it would be something the Spurs could choose to do versus saying that the Spurs would lose to the Lakers regardless), then you obviously take it. A Spurs team that could beat LAL in a winnner-take-all game has every right to think it can win playoff games.

Also, no. The odds of getting high-end talent aren't the same as the odds of building a winning team. Basically every contender in the league disproves that notion, and every bottom-feeder disproves it from the other end. You win by winning, and there are a number of ways to do that. You just happen to be tied to one of them.

[TD 21]

We both know that none of this is true. If you have a chance to make the playoffs -- especially a chance to beat LAL (and this thread supposes that it would be something the Spurs could choose to do versus saying that the Spurs would lose to the Lakers regardless), then you obviously take it. A Spurs team that could beat LAL in a winnner-take-all game has every right to think it can win playoff games.

Also, no. The odds of getting high-end talent aren't the same as the odds of building a winning team. Basically every contender in the league disproves that notion, and every bottom-feeder disproves it from the other end. You win by winning, and there are a number of ways to do that. You just happen to be tied to one of them.

Yeah, because facing an injury ravaged team in a one-off is akin to beating a team in a series.

No, but they're the odds on path to doing so. You generally win by winning in glamour markets. You generally win by losing in non glamour markets. You should know that, fan of a team who won two all-time lottery prizes that propelled them to a dynasty.

[ivanfromwestwood]

Tanking is different from hoping for a better draft position. I certainly don't think there'd ever be a scenario where Pop tries to lose an elimination game, or where I'd advocate for it. But, big picture, I think the better pick is more important for this extremely average team desperately in need of more talent.




You must not remember the final game against the Clippers 2015. Popovich definitely punted away a game.

[Chinook]

Yeah, because facing an injury ravaged team in a one-off is akin to beating a team in a series.

I mean, it is? Like knocking the Lakers out of the playoffs is knocking them out of the playoffs. If the only thing stopping the Spurs from doing that is the will of their fans, they need to get better fans.


No, but they're the odds on path to doing so. You generally win by winning in glamour markets. You generally win by losing in non glamour markets. You should know that, fan of a team who won two all-time lottery prizes that propelled them to a dynasty.

Not really, though. While two of their top players are from the lottery, most of their other stars aren't. The Spurs have gotten plenty of talent from other places, and the modern NBA basically necessitates that you attract stars, since you can't reliably hold onto them for more than seven years. By far the best path to success is creating a winning environment and them populating that environment with stars very quickly through trades and signings. That basically can't come from tanking, as tanking drives away stars and devalues pieces to be used in trades.

[TD 21]

I mean, it is? Like knocking the Lakers out of the playoffs is knocking them out of the playoffs. If the only thing stopping the Spurs from doing that is the will of their fans, they need to get better fans.



Not really, though. While two of their top players are from the lottery, most of their other stars aren't. The Spurs have gotten plenty of talent from other places, and the modern NBA basically necessitates that you attract stars, since you can't reliably hold onto them for more than seven years. By far the best path to success is creating a winning environment and them populating that environment with stars very quickly through trades and signings. That basically can't come from tanking, as tanking drives away stars and devalues pieces to be used in trades.

Yes, beating a team 4 times requires doing so 3 more times than beating a team 1 time.

But by far the two most important were and they were most responsible for them becoming what they became. They're not going to build up the asset base to pull off a star trade with middling picks/role players, who play an archaic style and no extra draft capital.

[jjspur]

In the end the spurs will still have a halfway decent draft pick no matter what happens. However I would love it if the spurs would beat Memphis, beating or just even giving the Fakers the scare of their lives. Then the suns or jazz could whoop the crap out of the fakers so much so that Lebron thinks about finally retiring. Dude whines about everything including play in games. Father time has you in his sights LeWhiner deal with it. Almost worth as much as a higher draft pick.....almost.

[Allan Rowe vs Wade]

if spurs beat lakers i will buy a demar jersey

[talkspurs]

lose to Memphis and then Memphis beat LA. best of both worlds.

[itzsoweezee]

This is the only scenario I could root for a Spurs win. They’ll probably get beat by the grizzlies first anyway

[SAGirl]

People talking of beating the lakers like Lebrun doesn’t have Demar’s playoff number. Maybe Demar wants to exorcise that out of his system? I am all for it but don’t get broken hearted if it doesn’t happen boys.

[R. DeMurre]

Not really, though. While two of their top players are from the lottery, most of their other stars aren't.

Yeah, but it's Embiid and Simmons! The two players who combine to lead the team in every meaningful category-- ppg, rpg, bpg, spg (tied w/Thybulle), and apg-- and are both in the discussion for DPOY. You can't just write that off like it's a minor blaśe fact.

[tbdog]

Um... Make the playoffs. This draft-pick talk is such loser shit.
:bobo

[Dex]

Beat the Lakers at all costs.

Why?

https://i.imgur.com/rFi400W.jpg

[GAustex]

Fischer’s shot was BS

[Chinook]

Yeah, but it's Embiid and Simmons! The two players who combine to lead the team in every meaningful category-- ppg, rpg, bpg, spg (tied w/Thybulle), and apg-- and are both in the discussion for DPOY. You can't just write that off like it's a minor blaśe fact.

What? We're talking about Robinson and Duncan, not Philly's guys.

[R. DeMurre]

What? We're talking about Robinson and Duncan, not Philly's guys.

Oops... my bad!

[KingKev]

Can’t get a girl half pregnant. We fvcked ourselves not going full tank mode this season but now I’d like to see them show something even at the cost of a few draft spots. Showing up in these play-in games and making the pmayoffs would be great for the youth’s learning and experience. Maybe DDR can actually prove he has what it takes when it counts.